Edmonton Muslims respond to hate flyers with candy

For some members of Edmonton’s Muslim community, Thanksgiving was spent giving thanks to Mill Woods residents.

Last week, anti-Islamic flyers were circulated in a southeast neighbourhood. This after racist posters appeared on campuses in Edmonton and Calgary.

The Alberta Muslim Public Affairs Council’s Aurangzeb Qureschi tells Global News, it’s not just Muslims who were shocked by these events.

“The same shock, the same awe, the same concern, came from the non-Muslim community as well,” Qureschi explains. “I think they understand, these aren’t the Canadian values of multiculturalism, diversity, tolerance, inclusion, and I think everyone understands that. That type of united response means a lot to us, as Muslims, and I think it speaks volumes for Canada.”

Qureschi says they decided the best way to combat the message of hate, was with love.

“We are actually going out into the community and providing candies and sweets for the neighbourhood, just as a response, meeting hatred with love, because that’s the Muslim way, that’s how we do things,” he says.

Qureschi says they want to change this from a story of intolerance, into one of Canadians coming together in mutual support. (scb)